Letter to students

As a young lady attending secondary school and living in Canada, you have no doubt seen how information technology has transformed your lifestyle and the way you learn, how it empowers you to advance along your academic path, and how it gets you ready to embrace a future where your potential will not be determined by your gender.

You may have also heard conversations, watched news broadcasts, or had discussions about poverty and how it affects women’s lives and children’s growth?

What if these women and children were living in Canada? How do you think poverty affects them? Why do you think poverty exists anyway? How do you define poverty? Is it possible to eradicate poverty? Lend your voice to this subject! Join this global conversation through the second North American competition of les Olympes de la Parole in Canada.

Your teacher will guide you on the best way to enter the competition. You will work with schoolmates in trying to explain the problem using teamwork, critical thinking, innovation and community participation. You will get prepared to present your work as a written report, an oral presentation, and a video presentation to a review panel.

What are the rewards?

Your reflections may help us better understand the impact of poverty on the empowerment of
women and the development of children in Canada.

Your contribution may be used as background in the formulation of new policies that will
support gender equality in Canada.

You will be awarded a certificate recognizing the volunteer hours invested in this competition.

You will have the opportunity to practice public debate by joining a round table discussion
during the Stella Musica annual festival.

If your team is selected as one of the three winners, you will be invited to present your findings to the public during an award ceremony where the three best projects will receive one of these scholarships:

1st Prize

$2,000.00

2nd Prize

$1,500.00

3rd Prize

$1,000.00

The winning video productions will be viewed by thousands of Canadian Federation of University Women (CFUW) members, shared through UWCM and CFUW social media, and used to promote gender equality in Canada.

To learn more about the Olympes de la Parole Competition, please visit our website at
https://uwcm.com/olympes-de-la-parole/what-is-it/

Due to the continuing COVID-19 pandemic restrictions – and doing our part to “flatten the curve” – all scheduled in-person events have been suspended. Our May 20 AGM will take place virtually. Details will come later. Please stay home, practice social distancing, and refer to government directives.